By Obb Deewajin, Football Tribe Thailand
“New badge”
“New colours”
“New grass”
“New players”
“New league”
One fan’s satirical comment put Bangkok Glass FC’s shocking relegation into perspective amid the numerous post-match photos and videos posted online.
“We’ll be back…we’ll be back!” shouted a man in one of them, with his eyes full of tears and one hand clinging onto a metal pole behind the goal. “Stand up!” another voice shouted towards the players who we’ve seen previously, all on the floor with their heads drooped. The image then cuts to club captain Matt Smith, hands on his head, stunned. Then, most touching moment of all – the camera switches back to the stands. There sat a boy, maybe 12 or 13 years old, crying. Helpless.
Around the boy sat older fans, all still as a statues, staring into space. They too didn’t know what to do. This was the “new beginning” their club had promised at the start of the season.
“This year is the time we invest. The Thitipan deal happened overnight, we hope fans are delighted with this surprise,” vice-president Supasin Leelarit announced during the club’s annual season-opening press conference. In order to celebrate the club’s 10th anniversary, the management decided to do a makeover, hoping it would bring good fortune for the upcoming campaign.
“We have many changes in store this year, from the club colours, logo and even the pitch. I believe our fans are the ones who are with us since day one, they’ll remember the 2010 Singapore Cup and 2014 FA Cup victory, which makes me believe good things will come around to this club every 4 years” the vice-president added with confidence.
In hindsight, the makeover was just a distraction from the real problem, an expensive paint job papering over the cracks. The real issue is the lack of patient, resolute and long-term planning by the club. No matter how many times the management want to change the club’s logo or colours, there’s no hiding the fact that Bangkok Glass FC has been a club devoid of identity for years.
You’d have to go as far back as March 2011 to find a head coach who’s reign lasted more than a year. That man was Sathit Bensoh, and even then he was, as president Pavin Bhirombhakdi put it, just “a shadow coach” working under Supasin Leelarit. The “vice-president’s” undefeated run of 10 games, including five wins and fives draws, as well a victory in the Singapore Cup trophy, was enough for president Pavin to believe this was the way forward.
“We’ve used both Thai and foreign coaches but still fail to find the right balance” Pavin explaining the decision to appoint Supasin in an interview from 2010. “A new head coach means new backroom staff and new signing based on the new coach preferences. There’s no way a system can grow out of that. It’s like starting all over again.”
The club didn’t stick to their words though, sacking Sathit Bensoh at the end of the season. Then came Arjhan Srong-ngamsub and his “old school” methods. The fans weren’t happy with the football on display and he too suffered a similar fate. In these 2 seasons where BGFC finished 5th, Buriram United had arrived on the scene and took the league by storm while the Rabbits continuously failed to narrow the gap between themselves and the contenders, namely Muangthong and Chonburi. More investment was flowing into the league and the competition was tougher than ever.
Bangkok Glass had already moved into the Leo Stadium 2 years ago, so why weren’t things improving? The management was puzzled. There was an air of stagnation around the place. Perhaps it was the anxiety at this point in time that scarred the club forever.
For the 2012 season, team manager Surachai Jaturapattarapong returned as head coach for the first time in 2 years. Fans were buzzing and the president was confident in the man who had BGFC challenging for the title last time around. Unfortunately, Surachai lasted only 5 months before resigning. Filling in with 7 games remaining was English coach Phil Stubbins as the Rabbits slumped to eighth place, their worst position until this year’s relegation. After suffering the lowest league finish and having the full pre-season to get organised, you would have thought BGFC would be eager to kick off the new campaign in style…
Stubbins was sack after only a single game, replaced by caretaker manager Anurak Srikerd, a role he would revisit many times in the future. At this point, the club was in full panic mode.
Things didn’t work so well for Anurak Srikerd in his first spell in charge. By Matchday 8, the team had only registered two wins. But it was this moment that the club took an important turn with the arrival of the late Attaphol Buspakom, one of Thailand’s most respected head coaches with an AFC Champions League Runner-up medal in 2003 and two Thai league titles under his belt. This appointment signalled a major shift in football philosophy from a very direct, highly physical, style of play to more possession-based one. Suddenly the BGFC were winning games on the bounce, as they became runners up in the FA Cup and finished 5th in the league. For the first time ever, there was a respected coach in charge and there was a style of football fans could expect week in week out; something they are proud to call their own.
Attaphol Buspakom had BGFC challenging at the top but only lasted until midway of the 2014 season, when he was sacked and replace by Anurak Srikerd after a run of one win in six games. Attaphol Buspakom would end up at Police United, a rising big spender who gave him more control over team selection, taking star striker Teeratep Winothai along with him. In the meantime, BGFC won the FA Cup under caretaker manager Anurak Srikerd, securing the club’s first major trophy. However, the press knew and were open about the fact that Srikerd was just another “shadow coach”. It was the momentum left by Buspakom that won BGFC that trophy.
Between the 2014 and 2017 season, BGFC had appointed 2 foreign coaches, Ricardo Rodríguez and Aurelio Vidmar, both of whom played possession football and got the team challenging for the top 3 spots for a short period before performances started to fade because the squad depth wasn’t strong enough to compete with the likes of Buriram United or Muangthong. However, sandwiched between them were the re-appointments Anurak Srikerd and Surachai Jaturapattarapong. The squad simply wasn’t given the opportunity to grow with the possession-based philosophy that had brought success to the club.
Assistant coach Josep Ferré step up to the helm at the start of this season but didn’t bring much confidence for he too was known as a “shadow coach” during his time at Ratchaburi FC. BGFC had a short preparation time and was outplayed against by their own feeder club, Khonkaen FC, in the Leo Pre-Season Cup. Ferré was sacked after 7 games in charge, replaced by a club legend who could again be influenced by the club’s ownership. Amnaj Kaewkiew stepped up from the assistant role, but his results were even worse. Three defeats in six games saw BGFC drop to 14th in the table.
Back in their classic “full panic mode” once again, the club management did what they know best – reappoint Anurak Srikerd for the 4th time. The club had made a fool of themselves in the previous transfer window, signing big names without taking into consideration the player’s style of play or the team tactical setup. Take for example Mario Gjurovski, a fantastic attacking midfielder, but tactically nothing like Jhasmani Campos who he was meant to replace. Or Frédéric Mendy and Stipe Plazibat, 2 target-men with great records their previous clubs, but players who would step on the toes of the club’s present strikers Chatree Chimtalay and Surachat Sareepim.
Credit to Anurak Srikerd, who knew that the club messed up, and moved to re-sign some of the types of players that the club had let go in the previous window. Winger Sarawut Masuk was recalled back to add pace down the wing. Anon Amornlerdsak was loaned in as the replacement for Jhasmani Campos. Defensive midfielder Tanaboon Keserat arrived with 50 million baht price tag to offer a calming presence and the passing ability missing since the departure of Chaowat Veerachat, who was loaned out to partner club Cerezo Osaka in Japan. Frédéric Mendy and Stipe Plazibat departed the club in favour of the return of Ariel Rodríguez, a striker known for his excellent off the ball movement.
All of this, just to start from zero again. And although there was an improvement in the 2nd leg of the league, it was too little too late. That anxiety and mentality to panic when things get tough was already rooted deep in the club’s DNA.
After an away loss at fellow struggler Suphanburi and a draw at home against the relegated Ubon UMT, BGFC imploded in their final game of the season.
As a club, Bangkok Glass have never been afraid of changes; whether it’s signings or managerial appointments, it is a club that always looks forward. The only issue is that the club’s management don’t have the guts to stick to their decisions when things get rocky, always reverting back to the same old personnel and methods when results are poor.
So, maybe now that they are relegated to T2, taking a step back before moving forward might be the change they do need. This could be an opportunity for the management to learn firsthand that patient, resolute and long-term planning does pay off. Hopefully, that does happen and the club can grow into the powerhouse it was meant to be.